A memorial Mass for School Sister of Notre Dame Margaret Berghold was celebrated Aug. 16 at Theresa Center Chapel, Sancta Maria in Ripa in St. Louis. Sister Margaret (formerly Francis Mary) died at Anna House at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton on July 29 at the age of 100 and the day after her anniversary of her 80th profession of first vows.
The youngest of three girls, she was born to Marie (Ackermann) and Frank Berghold on Oct. 5, 1923, in St. Louis. She was baptized on Oct. 7, 1923, at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in St. Louis and named Margaret Marcella. During her childhood, the family moved several times but remained within the St. Louis area. Margaret attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, which was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. When she was in the eighth grade, she visited Sancta Maria in Ripa and the desire to become a sister began to emerge within her. She attended St. Alphonsus “Rock” High School, which also was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Margaret entered the candidature at Sancta Maria in Ripa on Aug. 27, 1941. She was received into the novitiate on July 27, 1943, and given the name Francis Mary. She professed first vows on July 28, 1944, and final vows on July 28, 1950. Later she returned to her baptismal name. Sister Margaret earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the former LeClerc College in Belleville, Illinois, in 1949 and a master’s degree in education from Saint Louis University in 1956.
Following profession, she taught elementary school at St. Peter Cathedral in Belleville (1944-49). She also taught secondary school for about 18 years, including St. Joseph in Cairo, Illinois (1950-52), and the Academy of Notre Dame in Belleville (1966-67). In Missouri, she taught at Rosati-Kain High School (1949-50) and her alma mater, St. Alphonsus “Rock” High School (1952-60). In Louisiana, she taught at Sacred Heart in New Orleans (1960-66). Starting in 1967, she was a faculty member in the education department of the former Notre Dame College in St. Louis, until its closing in 1977.
Following the conclusion of her work at Notre Dame College and a period of study and supervision, Sister Margaret became a staff member at the Center of Spiritual Development at Notre Dame Hall on the Saint Louis University campus (1978-85). Staff members there offered spiritual guidance and directed retreats and retreat weekends. The Center of Spiritual Development was discontinued in 1985. Sister Margaret then became engaged in a variety of ministries in the St. Louis area. She was a secretary for Cardinal Ritter Institute, receptionist for Our Lady of Life Apartments, an Adult Basic Education/GED teacher for the public school system and teacher at various centers. She was a secretary for two former St. Louis Provincial Councils from 1987-95.
After three years of community service at Sancta Maria in Ripa, she became a member of the province staff and did volunteer clerical work for various province offices at the former St. Louis Motherhouse (1999-2007). From 2007 until her move to Veronica House at The Sarah Community in 2018, she continued to provide community service at Sancta Maria in Ripa. As her health declined, she was transferred to Anna House.
Sister Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Marie and Frank Berghold, and her sisters, Marie Lemon and Dorothy (Herb) Meredith. She is survived by nieces, nephews, friends, School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND associates. She donated her body to Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
